Air valve adapter

Abstract

A modified air valve construction is provided for use in combination with a modern bicycle wheel having a rim for mounting a tire and an inner tube within the tire. Since many modern rims include relatively deep radiallyinwardly extending fairings which encompass air valves of conventional length, in accordance with the invention, an air valve adapter is received through an inwardly facing hole in the rim and attaches to the original valve stem. The adapter can be operated to selectively open or lock the unmodified valve. A nozzle from a pump can, in turn, be connected to the adapter to inflate the inner tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air valve adapter enabling operational access to a remotely located valve stem means of a bicycle inner tube which would not otherwise be accessible, said adapter comprising: an elongated cylindrical body extending between first and second ends and having a longitudinal axis;   gripper means adjacent said second end selectively attachable to the remotely located valve stem means for releasably engaging an outer peripheral surface thereof, said gripper means including a plurality of resilient cantilevered gripping fingers integral with said elongated body extending from circumferentially spaced locations at said second end in directions generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said gripping fingers extending to gripper ends distant from said second end; and   gripper operating means adjacent said first end, when attached to the remotely located valve stem means, for actuating the valve stem means for movement between a first locked position to prevent flow of air into and out of the inner tube and a second position distant from said first position to enable the valve stem means to move to an open position enabling flow of air into and out of the inner tube.   
     
     
       2. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gripper ends include: contoured gripping surfaces shaped to substantially conform to the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem means; and   cam surfaces adjacent said gripping surfaces engageable with the valve stem means as said air valve adapter is moved axially toward the valve stem means in axial alignment therewith for deflecting said gripping ends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis until said gripping surfaces are coextensive with and biased into mating engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem means whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis imparted to the valve stem means in one direction is effective to open the valve stem means and whereby rotation of said gripper means toward an extreme in the opposite direction is effective to lock the valve stem means in a closed position.   
     
     
       3. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 2 wherein the valve stem means has at least one laterally facing opening in its outer peripheral surface; and   wherein at least one of said gripping surfaces includes a radially extending projection receivable in the laterally facing opening whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis is positively imparted to the valve stem means.   
     
     
       4. In combination with a bicycle wheel having a rim for mounting a tire and an inner tube within said tire, said inner tube having a radially inwardly extending air valve with a valve stem means having an outer peripheral surface, said rim including a radially inwardly extending fairing encompassing said air valve, an air valve adapter for reception through an inwardly facing hole in said rim comprising: an elongated cylindrical body extending between first and second ends and having a longitudinal axis;   gripper means adjacent said second end selectively attachable to said valve stem means for releasably engaging said outer peripheral surface thereof, said gripper means including a plurality of resilient cantilevered gripping fingers integral with said elongated body extending from circumferentially spaced locations at said second end in directions generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said gripping fingers extending to gripper ends distant from said second end; and   gripper operating means adjacent said first end for actuating said valve stem means, when attached to said valve stem means from a location external of said fairing, for movement between a first locked position to prevent flow of air into and out of the inner tube and a second position distant from said first position to enable said valve stem means to move to an open position enabling flow of air into and out of the inner tube.   
     
     
       5. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 4 wherein said gripper ends include: contoured gripping surfaces shaped to substantially conform to said outer peripheral surface of said valve stem means; and   cam surfaces adjacent said gripping surfaces engageable with said valve stem means as said air valve adapter is moved axially toward said valve stem means in axial alignment therewith for deflecting said gripping ends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis until said gripping surfaces are coextensive with and biased into mating engagement with said outer peripheral surface of said valve stem means whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis imparted to said valve stem means in one direction is effective to unlock the valve stem means and whereby rotation of said gripper means toward an extreme in the opposite direction is effective to lock the valve stem means.   
     
     
       6. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 5 wherein said valve stem means has at least one laterally facing opening in said outer peripheral surface thereof; and   wherein at least one of said gripping surfaces includes a radially extending projection receivable in the laterally facing opening whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis is positively imparted to said valve stem means.   
     
     
       7. An elongated air valve attached to an inner tube of a bicycle tire for selectively inflating and deflating the tire comprising: a cylindrical housing attached at an outer end to the inner tube and extending radially inwardly to an inner end remote from said outer end, said housing defining a chamber which is in fluid communication with the interior of the inner tube, said housing having a fill opening at said inner end and a valve seat within said chamber adjacent said inner end;   position spaced from said valve seat enabling the flow of air into and out of the inner tube and a locked position in engagement with said valve seat preventing the flow of air into and out of the inner tube;   an externally threaded piston rod integral with said piston and extending through the fill opening at said inner end;   key means interposed between said piston and said housing for restraining said piston rod against rotation relative to said housing; and   a clamping nut having an outer peripheral surface threadedly received on said piston rod external of said housing, said clamping nut being rotatable on said piston rod between a first position engaged with said inner end of said housing and holding said piston in said locked position and a second position distant from said first position to enable said piston to move to said open position out of engagement with said valve seat;   an air valve adapter for selective attachment to said clamping nut including: an elongated cylindrical body having an outer peripheral surface and extending between first and second ends and having a longitudinal axis; and   gripper means adjacent said second end selectively attachable to said clamping nut for releasably engaging said outer peripheral surface thereof, said gripper means including a plurality of resilient cantilevered gripping fingers integral with said elongated body extending from circumferentially spaced locations at said second end in directions generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said gripping fingers extending to gripper ends distant from said second end; and   gripper operating means adjacent said first end, when attached to said clamping nut, enabling rotation of said adjustment nut on said piston rod to move said piston between said first and second positions.     
     
     
       8. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said gripper ends include: contoured gripping surfaces shaped to substantially conform to said outer peripheral surface of said clamping nut; and   cam surfaces adjacent said gripping surfaces engageable with said clamping nut as said air valve adapter is moved axially toward said clamping nut in axial alignment therewith for deflecting said gripping ends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis until said gripping surfaces are coextensive with and biased into mating engagement with said outer peripheral surface of said clamping nut whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis imparted to said clamping nut toward an extreme in one direction is effective to unlock said air valve and whereby rotation of said gripper means toward an extreme in the opposite direction is effective to lock said air valve.   
     
     
       9. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 8 wherein said clamping nut has at least one laterally facing opening in its outer peripheral surface; and   wherein at least one of said gripping surfaces includes a radially extending projection receivable in the laterally facing opening whereby rotation of said gripper means about said longitudinal axis is positively imparted to said clamping nut.   
     
     
       10. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 9 including: seal means interposed between said piston and said valve seat for positively preventing flow of air through the fill opening when said piston engaged therewith holds said seal means firmly against said valve seat.   
     
     
       11. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cylindrical housing is externally threaded adjacent said outer end; and   wherein said gripper operating means is an elongated handle member; and including: an elongated tubular cover substantially encapsulating said air valve adapter and being internally threaded at a mounting end for threaded attachment to said inner end of said cylindrical housing and having a free end through which said elongated handle member of said gripper operating means freely projects.     
     
     
       12. An air valve adapter as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tubular cover has an inner surface which closely conforms to said outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical body, said outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical body including a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending, grooves to provide a substantially unrestricted path for the flow of ambient air into and out of the inner tube when said piston is in the open position.